UEFA Champions League 2015-16
Real Madrid | count = 11 | second_other = Atlético Madrid | matches = 125 | goals = 347 | attendance = | top_scorer = Cristiano Ronaldo | prevseason = 2014–15 | nextseason = 2016–17 }} The 2015–16 UEFA Champions League was the 61st season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 24th season since it was renamed from the European Champion Clubs' Cup to the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona were the title holders, but were eliminated by Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals. The 2016 UEFA Champions League Final was played between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. It was the second time in the tournament's history that both finalists were from the same city, after the same clubs faced each other in the 2014 final. Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid 5–3 on penalties (1–1 after extra time) in the final to win a record-extending eleventh European Cup/Champions League title. As the winners of the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid qualified as the UEFA representative at the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan (their third Club World Cup appearance), and also earned the right to play against the winners of the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League, Sevilla, in the 2016 UEFA Super Cup. Format changes The UEFA Executive Committee held in May 2013 approved the following changes to the UEFA Champions League starting from the 2015–16 season (for the three-year cycle until the 2017–18 season): *The winners of the previous season's UEFA Europa League will qualify for the UEFA Champions League. They will enter at least the play-off round, and will enter the group stage if the berth reserved for the Champions League title holders is not used. *The previous limit of a maximum of four teams per association will be increased to five, meaning that if the Champions League title holders finish outside the top four of their domestic league (if the winner is from the one of the top three ranked associations), the fourth-placed team of their association will not be prevented from participating in the tournament. Association team allocation A total of 77, 78 or 79 teams from 53 of the 54 UEFA member associations are expected to participate in the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League (the exception being Liechtenstein, which do not organise a domestic league). The association ranking based on the UEFA country coefficients is used to determine the number of participating teams for each association: *Associations 1–3 each have four teams qualify. *Associations 4–6 each have three teams qualify. *Associations 7–15 each have two teams qualify. *Associations 16–54 (except Liechtenstein) each have one team qualify. *The winners of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League and 2014–15 UEFA Europa League are each given an additional entry if they do not qualify for the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League through their domestic league. Association ranking For the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League, the associations are allocated places according to their 2014 UEFA country coefficients, which takes into account their performance in European competitions from 2009–10 to 2013–14. | | |} Distribution In the default access list, the Champions League title holders enter the group stage. However, since Barcelona already qualified for the group stage (as the champions of the 2014–15 La Liga), the Champions League title holders berth in the group stage is given to the Europa League title holders, Sevilla. Teams League positions of the previous season shown in parentheses, except Sevilla which qualified as Europa League title holders. (TH: Champions League title holders; EL: Europa League title holders). Round and draw dates The tentative schedule of the competition, to be officially confirmed, is as follows (all draws held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, unless stated otherwise). Qualifying rounds In the qualifying rounds and the play-off round, teams were divided into seeded and unseeded teams based on their 2015 UEFA club coefficients, and then drawn into two-legged home-and-away ties. Teams from the same association could not be drawn against each other. First qualifying round The draw for the first and second qualifying rounds was held on 22 June 2015. The first legs were played on 30 June and 1 July, and the second legs were played on 7 July 2015. |} Lincoln Red Imps became the first Gibraltar team to win a tie in a UEFA competition, two years after Gibraltar's teams were first admitted entry. Second qualifying round The first legs were played on 14 and 15 July, and the second legs were played on 21 and 22 July 2015. |'HJK'|FIN|1–3|0–1}} |Fola Esch|LUX|1–1|3–0}} }} |} Third qualifying round The third qualifying round was split into two separate sections: Champions Route (for league champions) and League Route (for league non-champions). The losing teams in both sections entered the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League play-off round. The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 17 July 2015. The first legs were played on 28 and 29 July, and the second legs were played on 4 and 5 August 2015. |- !colspan=6|Champions Route |- !colspan=6|League Route |} Play-off round The play-off round was split into two separate sections: Champions Route (for league champions) and League Route (for league non-champions). The losing teams in both sections entered the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League group stage. The draw for the play-off round was held on 7 August 2015. The first legs were played on 18 and 19 August, and the second legs were played on 25 and 26 August 2015. |- !colspan=6|Champions Route |- !colspan=6|League Route |} Group stage The draw for the group stage was held in Monaco on 27 August 2015. The 32 teams were drawn into eight groups of four, with the restriction that teams from the same association could not be drawn against each other. For the draw, the teams were seeded into four pots based on the following principles (introduced starting this season): *Pot 1 contained the title holders and the champions of the top seven associations based on their 2014 UEFA country coefficients. As the title holders (Barcelona) were one of the champions of the top seven associations, the champions of the association ranked eighth were also seeded into Pot 1 (regulations Article 13.05). *Pot 2, 3 and 4 contained the remaining teams, seeded based on their 2015 UEFA club coefficients. In each group, teams play against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format. The group winners and runners-up advance to the round of 16, while the third-placed teams enter the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League round of 32. The matchdays are 15–16 September, 29–30 September, 20–21 October, 3–4 November, 24–25 November, and 8–9 December 2015. The youth teams of the clubs that qualify for the group stage also play in the 2015–16 UEFA Youth League on the same matchdays, where they compete in the UEFA Champions League Path (with the UEFA Youth League expanded to 64 teams, the youth domestic champions of the top 32 associations compete in a separate Domestic Champions Path until the knockout phase). A total of 17 national associations will be represented in the group stage. Astana, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Gent will make their debut appearances in the group stage. Astana are the first team from Kazakhstan to play in the Champions League group stage. With the maximum teams from the same association in the group stage increased from four to five, Spain became the first association to have five teams in the Champions League group stage. Since all three qualifying teams from the highest ranked leagues won their ties in the league route playoff round, the three countries of Spain, England and Germany had 13 of the 32 clubs in the group stage. Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G Group H Knockout phase In the knockout phase, teams play against each other over two legs on a home-and-away basis, except for the one-match final. The mechanism of the draws for each round is as follows: *In the draw for the round of 16, the eight group winners are seeded, and the eight group runners-up are unseeded. The seeded teams are drawn against the unseeded teams, with the seeded teams hosting the second leg. Teams from the same group or the same association cannot be drawn against each other. *In the draws for the quarter-finals onwards, there are no seedings, and teams from the same group or the same association can be drawn against each other. Round of 16 The draw for the round of 16 was held on 14 December 2015. The first legs were played on 16, 17, 23 and 24 February, and the second legs were played on 8, 9, 15 and 16 March 2016. }} }} |} Matches |time=20:45 |team1=Paris Saint-Germain |score=2–1 |report=Report |team2= Chelsea |goals1=Ibrahimović Cavani |goals2=Mikel |stadium=Parc des Princes, Paris |attendance=46,505 |referee=Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Chelsea |score=1–2 |report=Report |team2= Paris Saint-Germain |goals1=Costa |goals2=Rabiot Ibrahimović |stadium=Stamford Bridge, London |attendance=37,591 |referee=Felix Brych (Germany) }} Paris Saint-Germain won 4–2 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Benfica |score=1–0 |report=Report |team2= Zenit Saint Petersburg |goals1=Jonas |goals2= |stadium=Estádio da Luz, Lisbon |attendance=48,615 |referee=Gianluca Rocchi (Italy) }} |time=18:00 |team1=Zenit Saint Petersburg |score=1–2 |report=Report |team2= Benfica |goals1=Hulk |goals2=Gaitán Talisca |stadium=Petrovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg |attendance=17,688 |referee=Viktor Kassai (Hungary) }} Benfica won 3–1 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Gent |score=2–3 |report=Report |team2= Wolfsburg |goals1=Kums Coulibaly |goals2=Draxler Kruse |stadium=Ghelamco Arena, Ghent |attendance=19,978 |referee=Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Wolfsburg |score=1–0 |report=Report |team2= Gent |goals1=Schürrle |goals2= |stadium=Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg |attendance=23,457 |referee=Damir Skomina (Slovenia) }} Wolfsburg won 4–2 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Roma |score=0–2 |report=Report |team2= Real Madrid |goals1= |goals2=Ronaldo Jesé |stadium=Stadio Olimpico, Rome |attendance=55,612 |referee=Pavel Královec (Czech Republic) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Real Madrid |score=2–0 |report=Report |team2= Roma |goals1=Ronaldo Rodríguez |goals2= |stadium=Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |attendance=76,654 |referee=Szymon Marciniak (Poland) }} Real Madrid won 4–0 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Arsenal |score=0–2 |report=Report |team2= Barcelona |goals1= |goals2=Messi |stadium=Emirates Stadium, London |attendance=59,889 |referee=Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Barcelona |score=3–1 |report=Report |team2= Arsenal |goals1=Neymar Suárez Messi |goals2=Elneny |stadium=Camp Nou, Barcelona |attendance=76,092 |referee=Sergei Karasev (Russia) }} Barcelona won 5–1 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Juventus |score=2–2 |report=Report |team2= Bayern Munich |goals1=Dybala Sturaro |goals2=Müller Robben |stadium=Juventus Stadium, Turin |attendance=41,332 |referee=Martin Atkinson (England) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Bayern Munich |score=4–2 |aet=yes |report=Report |team2= Juventus |goals1=Lewandowski Müller Thiago Coman |goals2=Pogba Cuadrado |stadium=Allianz Arena, Munich |attendance=70,000 |referee=Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) }} Bayern Munich won 6–4 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=PSV Eindhoven |score=0–0 |report=Report |team2= Atlético Madrid |goals1= |goals2= |stadium=Philips Stadion, Eindhoven |attendance=34,948 |referee=Daniele Orsato (Italy) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Atlético Madrid |score=0–0 |aet=yes |report=Report |team2= PSV Eindhoven |goals1= |goals2= |stadium=Vicente Calderón, Madrid |attendance=50,135 |referee=Mark Clattenburg (England) |penalties1=Griezmann Gabi Koke Saúl F. Torres Giménez Filipe Luís Juanfran |penaltyscore=8–7 |penalties2= Van Ginkel Guardado Pröpper Bruma Moreno Lestienne Arias Narsingh }} 0–0 on aggregate. Atlético Madrid won 8–7 on penalties. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Dynamo Kyiv |score=1–3 |report=Report |team2= Manchester City |goals1=Buyalskyi |goals2=Agüero Silva Touré |stadium=Olympic Stadium, Kiev |attendance=53,691 |referee=Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Manchester City |score=0–0 |report=Report |team2= Dynamo Kyiv |goals1= |goals2= |stadium=City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester |attendance=43,630 |referee=Ovidiu Hațegan (Romania) }} Manchester City won 3–1 on aggregate. Quarter-finals The draw for the quarter-finals was held on 18 March 2016. The first legs were played on 5 and 6 April, and the second legs were played on 12 and 13 April 2016. |} Matches |time=20:45 |team1=Bayern Munich |score=1–0 |report=Report |team2= Benfica |goals1=Vidal |goals2= |stadium=Allianz Arena, Munich |attendance=70,000 |referee=Szymon Marciniak (Poland) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Benfica |score=2–2 |report=Report |team2= Bayern Munich |goals1=Jiménez Talisca |goals2=Vidal Müller |stadium=Estádio da Luz, Lisbon |attendance=63,235 |referee=Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) }} Bayern Munich won 3–2 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Barcelona |score=2–1 |report=Report |team2= Atlético Madrid |goals1=Suárez |goals2=F. Torres |stadium=Camp Nou, Barcelona |attendance=88,534 |referee=Felix Brych (Germany) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Atlético Madrid |score=2–0 |report=Report |team2= Barcelona |goals1=Griezmann |goals2= |stadium=Vicente Calderón, Madrid |attendance=52,851 |referee=Nicola Rizzoli (Italy) }} Atlético Madrid won 3–2 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Wolfsburg |score=2–0 |report=Report |team2= Real Madrid |goals1=Rodríguez Arnold |goals2= |stadium=Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg |attendance=26,400 |referee=Gianluca Rocchi (Italy) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Real Madrid |score=3–0 |report=Report |team2= Wolfsburg |goals1=Ronaldo |goals2= |stadium=Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |attendance=76,684 |referee=Viktor Kassai (Hungary) }} Real Madrid won 3–2 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Paris Saint-Germain |score=2–2 |report=Report |team2= Manchester City |goals1=Ibrahimović Rabiot |goals2=De Bruyne Fernandinho |stadium=Parc des Princes, Paris |attendance=47,228 |referee=Milorad Mažić (Serbia) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Manchester City |score=1–0 |report=Report |team2= Paris Saint-Germain |goals1=De Bruyne |goals2= |stadium=City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester |attendance=53,039 |referee=Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) }} Manchester City won 3–2 on aggregate. Semi-finals The draw for the semi-finals was held on 15 April 2016. The first legs were played on 26 and 27 April, and the second legs were played on 3 and 4 May 2016. |} Matches |time=20:45 |team1=Manchester City |score=0–0 |report=Report |team2= Real Madrid |goals1= |goals2= |stadium=City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester |attendance=52,221 |referee=Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Real Madrid |score=1–0 |report=Report |team2= Manchester City |goals1=Fernando |goals2= |stadium=Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |attendance=78,300 |referee=Damir Skomina (Slovenia) }} Real Madrid won 1–0 on aggregate. ---- |time=20:45 |team1=Atlético Madrid |score=1–0 |report=Report |team2= Bayern Munich |goals1=Saúl |goals2= |stadium=Vicente Calderón, Madrid |attendance=52,127 |referee=Mark Clattenburg (England) }} |time=20:45 |team1=Bayern Munich |score=2–1 |report=Report |team2= Atlético Madrid |goals1=Alonso Lewandowski |goals2=Griezmann |stadium=Allianz Arena, Munich |attendance=70,000 |referee=Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) }} 2–2 on aggregate. Atlético Madrid won on away goals. Final The final will be played on 28 May 2016 at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. |score= 1–1 |aet = yes |report= Report |team2= Atlético Madrid |goals1= Ramos |goals2= Carrasco |stadium=San Siro, Milan |attendance= |referee=Mark Clattenburg (England) }} See also *2015–16 UEFA Europa League *2016 UEFA Super Cup *2016 FIFA Club World Cup External links *UEFA Champions League (official website) Category:2015–16 UEFA Champions League 2015-16